Luxor - Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut's Temple

After KW and I finished our balloon ride and caught up with the rest of the tour, we first went to the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queen's.  Cameras are not allowed into either of these areas, so I don't have any pictures of the tombs.  I can tell you that the pictures that are still in the tombs are incredible.  I just can't imagine how many years were spent preparing these tombs for the kings.  There was the digging for the tombs and then there was the painting of the pictures on the walls AND ceilings.  It's awe-inspiring to think of the hours that was spent to prepare the tombs. 

One evening on the cruise ship we saw a film that was made about Howard Carter and his discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb.  It's unbelievable what Carter had to go through in order to find this tomb.  I am sure that under the definition of  persistence is a picture of Howard Carter.

The two picture below are as we approached the Visitor's Centre at the Valley of the Kings.  Even though the Valley of the Kings was pointed out to us when we were in the balloon, I found it hard to pick it out.  After visiting the area, I can see why.  The terrain is the same throughout this area.  I marvel at how people didn't get lost when travelling in these areas centuries ago.   Although we were there in the morning, it was already hot.  I can only imagine what it would be like to visit this area in the summer.  
 

After visiting the Valley of the Kings, we went to Queen Hatshepsut's Temple.  After seeing it in the air, I was looking forward to actually visiting the site.  The pictures that I have included here are on our way to the Temple and once we are there.  It is mind boggling to think of how the culture of that time could design and build something so incredibly massive.  And to think that this temple lay buried under the sands for tens of  centuries.

The tomb on the right, I believe belonged to Senmut, Hatshepsut's lover.  Normally everyone, other than the pharaoh, was buried in plane, unadorned tombs.  The fact that this one has a very distinctive outside shows how important Senmut was to Hatshepsut's and her court.

 

Even with these statues and hieroglyphics being exposed to the elements, you could still see the colours that were used.  And in many of cases, the hieroglyphics were not worn away.  Is anything that we have built in the 20th and 21th centuries going to be able to say the same thing in the ages to come?

 

I couldn't get over the size of the cliffs that surrounded the temple.

 

Luxor - Balloon Trip

After spending the night in Luxor, KW and I got up literally before the sun rose, so that we could go hot air ballooning.  That's right!  Hot Air Ballooning.  I totally loved it.  We didn't get up before the sun rose, but shortly after and I definitely had loads of fun trying to take pictures of everything that I could see from up above.  Apparently I have not yet found anything that scares me - from walking on logs, to moving to a brand new country, to going for hot air balloon rides.  Maybe I should try swimming with sharks.  

Anyway, back to the hot air balloons. I will include a number of pictures of the balloons followed by some pictures of what I could see while I was in the air.

This front balloon was the one I rode in.

And we have lift off.

Our reflection in an irrigation canal as we fly over.

Here a couple of the hot air balloons have landed.  That's our shadow that is in the middle of the picture.

This is the Temple of Hatshepsut.  Hatshepsut was a famous female ruler, who posed as a male to gain the throne.  After we completed our hot air balloon ride, we toured this temple.  With nothing to measure against when you are in the air, it's hard to judge just how big this complex is. After being there, let me tell you that it is big.

This fellow met us when we landed.  I thought he had come out to welcome us back, but instead he was out there trying to get us to give him some money. 

This was what the statues looked like from the air.  The pictures below are what they actually looked like from the ground.  It was interesting to be able to see something from the air and then later, up close and personal, from the ground.  I can't remember at the moment what their names are, but you can see that they are large.

Cruise Down the Nile - Luxor

After our time in Cairo, we caught an early morning flight to Luxor.  Luxor was the starting point for our cruise down the Nile aboard the Royal Lily.  KW and I were met at the airport and taken to the Royal Lily.  We were there early so the gentleman that met us at the airport arranged a short excursion around Luxor before the activities began.  We used a horse and buggy for our trip around Luxor.  I noticed that at most of the major stops that we made, this mode of transportation was available.  It was easier to ride around in the buggy that it was to ride upon a camel.  I definitely am a girl of the west.

This is what the pool on the sun deck of our cruise ship was set up as when we first boarded.  We definitely felt that we were on an upscale cruise ship.  Now, how do they make those?

While KW and I were on our trip around Luxor, we were able to go inside this Coptic Christian Church.  Mass was being said while we were in the church.  I don't know for sure, but I suspect that it may have been a special service in memory of Pope Shenouda III, the patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, who had died two weeks earlier. The picture below shows one of the clergy walking up the aisle towards the front of the church.

 

When you first enter the Karnak Temple, after running the gauntlet of sellers, you are met by this diorama of Karnak Temple.  After seeing this you walk to the temple and see it as it exists today.  The diorama did not really prepare me for what I was about to see, or the sheer size of some of the statues.

On this picture above, and in many of my other pictures taken at temples, you will be able to see colours on the walls, the columns and statues.  This is the original paint.  They have not been touched up.  It is truly amazing to realize that what you are looking at was created 3 to 4 thousand years previously.

These next pictures were taken at the Luxor Temple.  Although there were similarities between these two temples, you could also see that each one had a different role in Egyptian life.

Before Luxor Temple was excavated, this door into the Abu Haggag mosque, was at ground level, roughly 48 to 50 feet above the ground level of Luxor Temple.  The picture below shows a fresco that was unearthed during the excavation of the temple.  It is from the early days of Christianity in Egypt.  During the various tours of other temples, sign from these early days of Christianity were often seen.

 

Khan el-Khalili

Khan el-Khalili is a souk, or bazaar that dates back to 1382.  It has undergone several changes since it's original start, but it is still one of the major open air markets in the Islamic district of Cairo.  I had been told that it was a must see and I am so glad that I followed the advice and went.  

Once of the major attractions in the Khan el-Khalili is El Fishawy.  This cafe's claim to fame is that it has not closed it's doors in over 200 years.  It is open 24/7.  I went there two nights, accompanied by Shawki, the taxi driver that KW and I hired..  I just loved the atmosphere. Although there is an actual room that is the cafe, most people choose to sit outside, along both sides of the alleyway.  While you sit there and enjoy your sahlab or tea with fresh mint, the house speciality, you can watch all manner of hawkers walk by trying to sell their wares.  If you are lucky there will be oud players and singers.  The first night that I went, I was lucky enough to listen to several oud players and a gentleman that joined them in singing.  I really enjoyed listening to the music.  

In some of the pictures below, I used the mirrors that are hung, what appears to be everywhere, to capture the people and the areas beyond El Fishawy.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and would recommend this cafe to anyone.  

 

This young girl was selling headdresses, like the one on her head.  She was fairly persistent.  There was a quality about her that I tried to capture on camera.  I am not sure that I was totally successful. 

The picture above and the ones that follow are taken while wandering in Khan el-Khalili in the afternoon.  I know that most of the pictures are not of the wares or the people, but I was taken with the detail that I saw on the windows, walls and even the signs.

 

Oh yes.  There were actually people in the market!!!  :)

Our second day in Cairo included a dust storm.  This was the sun trying to shine during the dust storm.

This mosque was across the road from Khan el-Khalili.  Again, notice the sky and the lack of blue sky.  It was fairly nasty out.

I took this picture on our way home from Khan el-Khalili.  Please notice the McDonald's sign.  They are truly everywhere.